Touchline Talk
Inter Miami wrapped up its 2021 MLS regular season campaign this Sunday afternoon, earning an impressive 0-1 victory on the road at Gillette Stadium against the Supporters' Shield champion New England Revolution.
Head coach Phil Neville praised the performance he witnessed today from his team, as the Herons closed out the season unified, securing a final win against an opponent that not only placed first in the MLS this year, but concurrently broke the league’s single-season points record.
“The qualities that we showed today are the qualities of a successful team and the qualities of a team that we needed to see more of this season. I knew all week that we were going to win this game. We wanted to beat the best. You want to compete against the best. And that was my feeling all week, that I wanted to beat a coach that I look up to and is the best coach in the MLS. I wanted my players to have the same mentality and I felt as if they did have that. They all played with a determination and a hunger that is the benchmark for next season.”
Starting midfielder and captain Gregore, shared similar sentiments to Neville’s regarding the positive result obtained by the squad, and how it differed from the first matchup between the two teams earlier this season.
“The game plan today was the same from when we lost 0-5. The coach, Phil, asked for the same thing. So the biggest difference comes from the group; when we have each other's back, when we work together, when we work united, we can pull through with games like this. So that is the biggest difference,” said Gregore.
Neville also touched on how crucial it was to earn a final win for the fans who supported the Club throughout the campaign.
“Our fans are the best. They were up in that corner today. They support us through thick and thin and they've had some difficult moments. It was nice just to give them something to cheer about that in the end."
The coach went on to summarize his final impressions on the team’s current state and the high morale that they carry heading into the offseason.
“We had a team that was headed in the right direction. We had a team that was on the same bus, we had a team that was never going to let a goal in and that’s why I am proud of them tonight,” concluded Neville.
